OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between the carotid artery plaque and the change of plasma aldosterone level related indexes during captopril challenge test. METHODS: The patients with hypertension were enrolled as research objects and the captopril challenge test were carried out when they were hospitalized to screen the cause of hypertension. There were intact carotid artery duplex ultrasonography diagnostic data in them (83 cases). They were divided into the plaque group(57 cases) with carotid artery plaque and no plaque group( 26 cases) without carotid artery plaque according to the carotid artery duplex ultrasonography diagnostic data. The correlation between the carotid artery plaque and the changes of aldosterone concentration, renin activity and aldosterone to renin activity ratio(ARR) in two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The detection rate of carotid artery plaque was 68.67%. Compare with no plaque group, the patients in plaque group were elder and the level of apolipoprotein A1,(APOA1) was lower (all P＜0.05). The ARR difference value before and after captopril challenge test was lower ( P＜0.05).The aldosterone difference value and the renin activity difference value before and after captopril challenge test were higher in plaque group (all P＜0.05).The aldosterone difference value and the renin activity difference value were positive in plaque group and were negative in no plaque group. The difference value of the ARR was negative in plaque group and was positive in no plaque group. Logistic regression analysis showed that the age, the difference value of ARR and the aldosterone before and after captopril challenge test could be associated independently with carotid artery plaque occurrence after excluding gender difference and other factors. CONCLUSION The detection rate of carotid artery plaque was high among hospitalized patients with hypertension, the difference value of ARR and the aldosterone before and after captopril challenge test could be associated independently with carotid artery plaque occurrence.
Aldosterone ; blood ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Captopril ; pharmacology ; Carotid Stenosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Inpatients ; Renin

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of perindopril and spirolactone on plasma aldosterone (Ald) and left atrial remodeling and function in a canine model of atrial fibrillation (AF).

METHODSAdult dogs were randomly assigned to receive normal diet (group A), perindopril (group B, 1 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)) and spironolactone (group C, 10 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1), n = 6 each) and rapid paced (500 beats/min) for 8 weeks. Plasma Ald levels as well as atrial dimension and function at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks after pacing were measured by RIA and echocardiography, respectively. Incidence of maintained AF and AF duration were recorded when pacing was stopped after 8 weeks of pacing. Left and right atrial tissues were collected for measurements of tissue Ald levels and fibrosis.

RESULTSPlasma Ald was similar among groups at baseline (P > 0.05) and significantly increased post 4 and 8 weeks pacing in group A (P < 0.05) while remained unchanged post pacing in group B and C (P > 0.05) compared to respective baseline level. Atrial Ald was significantly lower in group B and C compared that in group A post 8 weeks pacing (P < 0.05). Left atrial dimension, end-systolic and end-diastolic volume were significantly increased while left atrial ejection fraction (LAEF) was significantly reduced post pacing in group A (all P < 0.05 vs. baseline) and thses changes were significantly attenuated in group B and C (P < 0.05 vs. group A). Incidence of maintained AF and AF duration post pacing as well as interstitial collagen volume fraction were significantly lower in group B and C compared those in group A (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIncreased Ald might be an important pathogenesis for AF formation and progression, spironolactone and perindopril could attenuate atrial remodeling and improve atrial function by reducing plasma and tissue Ald levels in this model.

Aldosterone ; metabolism ; Animals ; Atrial Fibrillation ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Atrial Function ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Male ; Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Perindopril ; pharmacology ; Spironolactone ; pharmacology

A 49-year-old man with liver cirrhosis and hypertension was found to have hyperkalemia out of a degree of renal insufficiency and metabolic acidosis with low to normal anion gap, aggravated by volume contraction with diarrhea and medications (captopril, spironolactone and atenolol) interfering with potassium homeostasis. Plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone levels of this patient on a regular diet after discontinuation of medications were very low compared to those of five other cirrhotic patients with normokalemia as controls. Also, the renin-aldosterone stimulation testing on this patient performed by sodium restricted diet and furosemide, upright position and by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition (captopril, 50 mg) showed the blunted renin and aldosterone responses to each of these stimuli, almost no changes from baseline renin and aldosterone levels, it was concluded that the underlying defect responsible for hyperkalemia in this case was hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism and this was aggravated by other factors or drugs affecting potassium homeostasis.
Aldosterone/blood ; Captopril/pharmacology ; Furosemide/pharmacology ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia/*etiology ; Hypertension/*complications ; Hypoaldosteronism/*complications ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renin/blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the acute effects of aldosterone (ALD) on mesenteric resistance vessels in normal or heart failure (HF) rats and its mechanism.

METHODSHF model was adopted by in vivo ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery in SD rats; segments of third-order branches of mesenteric artery were isolated and dissected into about 2 mm rings for isometric force recording.

RESULTSPretreated with ALD for 10 min,phenylephrine (PE)-induced contraction of normal mesenteric artery decreased first and then increased compared to control group along with the increase of the concentration of PE while decreased in HF rats. This effect was attenuated by ALD receptor-special antagonist eplerenone partially. ALD increased Ach-induced endothelial-dependent vascular relaxation significantly compared to control group both in normal and HF rats. Pretreated with ALD and dexamethasone (DEX) for 10 min, the effects of ALD on PE-induced contraction were weakened in mesenteric artery both of normal and HF rats. And this reaction of DEX to ALD-treated mesenteric in normal rats was attenuated by RU486 partially.

CONCLUSIONALD has biphasic effect in PE-induced response on mesenteric artery of normal rats, while reduces the sensitivity of mesenteric artery to PE in HF rats. DEX attenuates the biphasic effect of ALD on artery of normal rat partially but has no significant effect on that of HF rats.

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; drug effects ; physiology ; Phenylephrine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects

BACKGROUND/AIMS: JX-594 is an oncolytic virus derived from the Wyeth vaccinia strain that causes replication-dependent cytolysis and antitumor immunity. Starting with a cross-examination of clinical-trial samples from advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients having high levels of aldosterone and virus amplification in JX-594 treatment, we investigated the association between virus amplification and aldosterone in human cancer cell lines. METHODS: Cell proliferation was determined by a cell-counting-kit-based colorimetric assay, and vaccinia virus quantitation was performed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and a viral plaque assay. Also, the intracellular pH was measured using a pH-sensitive dye. RESULTS: Simultaneous treatment with JX-594 and aldosterone significantly increased viral replication in A2780, PC-3, and HepG2 cell lines, but not in U2OS cell lines. Furthermore, the aldosterone treatment time altered the JX-594 replication according to the cell line. The JX-594 replication peaked after 48 and 24 hours of treatment in PC-3 and HepG2 cells, respectively. qPCR showed that JX-594 entry across the plasma membrane was increased, however, the changes are not significant by the treatment. This was inhibited by treatment with spironolactone (an aldosterone-receptor inhibitor). JX-594 entry was significantly decreased by treatment with EIPA [5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride; a Na+/H+-exchange inhibitor], but aldosterone significantly restored JX-594 entry even in the presence of EIPA. Intracellular alkalization was observed after aldosterone treatment but was acidified by EIPA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Aldosterone stimulates JX-594 amplification via increased virus entry by affecting the H+ gradient.
Aldosterone/*pharmacology ; Aldosterone Antagonists/pharmacology ; Amiloride/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood/virology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/blood ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Liver Neoplasms/blood/virology ; Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology ; Oncolytic Virotherapy ; Rabbits ; Spironolactone/pharmacology ; Vaccinia virus/*drug effects/genetics/metabolism/*physiology ; Virus Replication/*drug effects

AIMTo investigate the effects of pravastatin on endothelin(ET) expression induced by aldosterone in cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts.

METHODSET concentration in conditioned medium was measured by radioimmunoassay, intracellular ET-1 level was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the expression of preproendothelin-1 (ppET-1) was detected and quantified using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method.

RESULTSThe cardiac fibroblasts, treated with aldosterone at 107 mol/L, significantly up-regulated ppET-1 mRNA expression, as well as ET-1 synthesis and release. Pravastatin (10(-5), 10(-4), 10(-3) mol/L) dose-dependently blocked these effects. In contrast, pravastatin-induced inhibitory effects were reversed in the presence of mevalonate.

CONCLUSIONPravastatin down-regulated ppET-1 mRNA expression, as well as ET-1 synthesis and release induced by aldosterone in a process specifically related to mevalonate in cardiac fibroblasts.

Aldosterone ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelins ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myoblasts, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Pravastatin ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelins ; metabolism ; Myoblasts, Cardiac ; drug effects ; secretion ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVEIt has been known that the intrahepatic renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a key role in the fibrogenesis in livers. Aldosterone (Aldo), the principal effector molecule of the RAAS, exerts local effects on cell growth and fibrogenesis. However, the signal transduction mechanisms underlying the effects of Aldo on hepatic fibrogenesis remain to be fully elucidated. The present study aims to investigate the signal transduction mechanism underlying the effects of Aldo on the signal passageway of active protein-1 (AP-1).

METHODSIn vitro, HSCs-T6 cell line was treated with Aldo for 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min and 180 min, and protein expression of Phospho-P42/44 was detected by Western blot. In addition, HSCs-T6 cell line was preincubated for 60 min or not with U0126 (an inhibitor of the MAPK/ERK kinase), and also with antioxidant-N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prior to exposure to Aldo for the indicated times. Protein expression of Phospho-P42/44 was measured by Western blot. DNA biding activity of AP-1 was analyzed by electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA). By means of RT-PCR, expression of alpha1(1) procollagen mRNA was detected.

RESULTSAldo stimulated HSC via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathway. Time course experiments showed that Aldo induced Phospho-P42/44 expression, which was abrogated by U0126, reaching a maximum at 10 minutes, and then declined progressively. NAC inhibited the Phospho-P42/44 expression. EMSA showed that stimulation of HSC by Aldo markedly increased AP-1 DNA binding activity. U0126 markedly reduced AP-1 DNA binding activity induced by Aldo; NAC partly decreased AP-1 activity induced by Aldo. Aldo up-regulated expression of alpha1(1) procollagen mRNA, which was attenuated by U0126 and NAC.

CONCLUSIONStimulation of HSC by Aldo results in activation of AP-1 via ERK1/2 pathway, leading to up-regulation of AP-1 target gene alpha1(1) procollagen mRNA expression.

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transcription Factor AP-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms of Aldosterone stimulating hepatic stellate cells(HSCs) contraction via Ca2+-independent pathways.

METHODSHSC-T6 cell line was pre-disposed with Aldo 10mumol/L. The cell contraction was detected by silicone-rubber-membrane cultivation directly. The concentration variation of intracellular free calcium in rat HSC was observed by laser confocal microscopy. Besides, HSC-T6 cell line was under pre-disposal treatment with the blocking agents of Aldo receptor -antisterone, protein kinase C (PKC) special blocking agent-Stauro, Rho kinase blocking agent-Y27632 and MLCK special blocking agent-ML-7 respectively prior to stimulation with aldosterone. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of Rock2, RhoAGTP and RhoGEF in Ca2+- independent pathways mediated by Rho-kinase.

RESULTSAldo could induce HSCs contraction. The concentration of intracellular free calcium in rat HSCs had no change after pre-disposal treatment with Aldo. The mRNA expressions of Rock2, RhoAGTP and RhoGEF increased significantly after treatment with Aldo (0.770+/-0.049, 0.960+/-0.096, 0.180+/-0.006, P is less than 0.01).When inhibited with antisterone, the mRNA expressions of the three elements were (0.440+/-0.166, 0.370+/-0.180 and 0.050+/-0.001, P is less than 0.01), lower than that of Aldo group, but higher in ML-7+Stauro + Aldo groups (0.940+/-0.066, 1.330+/-0.192 and 0.160+/-0.007, P is less than 0.05) as compared to the control group (0.140+/-0.023, 0.540+/-0.111 and 0.110+/-0.012). In the Y27632 + ML-7 + Stauro+Aldo group, the mRNA expression of RhoGEF (0.290+/-0.004, P is less than 0.01)was higher than that of the ML-7 + Stauro + Aldo group (0.160+/-0.007).

CONCLUSIONAldo could induce HSCs contraction via Ca2+-independent pathways and Rho-Rock pathway involved in the process.

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

Chronic treatment with Salvia Miltiorrhiza preventing left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and its possible mechanism--inhibiting the action of cardiac aldosterone in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were investigated. Normotensive Wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats and SHRs were used. Part of SHRs was treated with Salvia Miltiorrhiza for 12 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and left ventricular mass index were measured. Sections of heart tissue were stained with HE method and VanGieson method. Collagen volume fraction was determined in the left ventricle by automatically quantitative morphometry. Cardiac aldosterone concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results indicated that compared with WKY rats, SHRs exhibited higher SBP, left ventricular collagen volume fraction, and aldosterone concentration (all P < 0.05). After the treatment with Salvia Miltiorrhiza, SBP, left ventricular collagen volume fraction, and aldosterone concentration in SHR were decreased as compared with control group (P < 0.05) except SBP. It was concluded that chronic treatment with Salvia Miltiorrhiza could prevent left ventricular hypertrophy in SHR, significantly inhibit collagen compositions in left ventricle. The mechanism was probably related with the inhibition of the cardiac aldosterone action.
Aldosterone ; metabolism ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Salvia miltiorrhiza